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All day when Dad was first in the hospital, she sat by my side. Even when I didn’t want to talk, didn’t even want to look anyone in the eye, when I was at my lowest, deepest in self-revulsion, she was there. And through it, she helped my family, tried to comfort my mother, she did everything a good wife should do—no, she did more, she did what a good person should do.
She stepped up, and I fell for her so fucking hard in that hospital waiting room.
And now I feel myself falling all over again.
“Come here, wife,” I say very gently.
“How about you promise to take it easy first?” She crosses her arms, glaring at me.
I take a step closer. “Dolcezza, I’m not asking. Come here.”
“Davide—”
I reach out and grab her arm. She sucks in a breath as I yank her close and bury her mouth with mine. I kiss her and drink her in, I fucking feast on her, because she’s the first person to really care about me when she doesn’t have to.
My family is stuck with me. They have no choice but to give a shit.
But Stefania has agency, even if she doesn’t realize it, and she’s choosing me.
Which makes me need her that much more.
My tongue invades her mouth and I blister her with a searing kiss, sealing my fate.
“What was that for?” she asks when I pull back. She’s breathing hard and I can tell she wants more.
“I’m not making any promises,” I say, my thumb brushing her kiss-puckered lips. God, the filthy, fucked-up things I’m going to do to those lips. “But I want you to know that I have every intention in the world of coming back to you every night.”
She looks away. “Is that enough?”
“It’s more than enough.” I make her look back at me. “You are more than enough.”
Her eyes go wide like she doesn’t believe me. “You’re just trying to get me in bed.”
“No, baby. I’m trying to make you understand. I’m going to kill every single man that works for Santoro, and then I’m going to burn him alive just like he nearly got me roasted when I was a child, but I’m not suicidal. I want to live, baby, and I want to live with you.”
She closes her eyes. They’re tear-rimmed and sparkling when she opens them again.
“You mean that?”
“I mean that. And I’m also trying to get you in bed.”
She laughs and hits my chest, and I kiss her again, because I’ve had enough talking. Now I want to fuck my wife until she understands how much I want to live, and how alive she makes me feel.
Chapter 35
Stefania
The oasis is lit up like a stadium in the middle of the night. All the house lights are on and there are bulbs strung between the trees, ringing the block in more light. The smell of cooking food floats in the air and music blares from a DJ booth set up outside of Laura’s house. I can only imagine how much she hates that.
The block is packed. I’d guess at least a hundred people, probably more, are milling around the party, moving from table to table, taking free drinks from passed trays and laughing over conversations. Freddie’s flitting around in a beautiful dress, looking absolutely stunning and extravagant, her warm and glowing smile making everyone feel at home.
There are dozens of Bianco soldiers on duty, patrolling the area, but most of them are being discreet.
I hang on to Davide’s arm as we move through the people. He points out important members of the Famiglia, from Capos to lieutenants to related business owners. There are several local politicians and a few members of the police union mingling with straight-up thugs and shady capitalists. Anyone important is in the oasis tonight, and everyone’s celebrating the return of Alessandro.
But he’s still not Don. Simon’s still in that role, and he’s holding court at a central table, greeting and speaking with a rotating cast of wealthy and influential Chicago powerbrokers. Meanwhile, Alessandro’s stuck in a wheelchair, shaking hands and looking like he wants nothing more than to pass out and sleep.
“I hope your dad’s eating,” I say to Davide as we watch him laugh at a joke and grimace at his discomfort, but his father’s good about covering it up and playing politician. “He looks exhausted.”
